49 arrested in holiday DWI crackdown

Sgt. MW King with the North Carolina Highway Patrol compares stopping drunk drivers to fishing.

"We seem to keep catching them," he said.

From June 29 through July 4, the Highway Patrol made 15 driving while intoxicated arrests in Onslow County, King said.

The Jacksonville Police Department saw fewer DWI arrests than expected, despite having multiple check points Friday night in coordination with the Governor's Highway Safety Program's "Operation Firecracker," said JPD Sgt. Chuck James.

From 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Saturday, the JPD - with help from the Highway Patrol, Holly Ridge Police Department, Swansboro Police Department, Richlands Police Department and more - set up check points on Gum Branch Road, U.S. 17 and N.C. 24, he said.

The checkpoints netted four driving while intoxicated arrests, two open container charges, six drug arrests, 15 charges of driving without a license, nine charges of driving with a revoked license, three seat belt citations, one concealed weapon charge, two outstanding warrant arrests and 11 other traffic citations, James said.

Drugs ranged from marijuana to methamphetamines, he said, while the weapons consisted of a knife and pepper spray.

"A lot of our traffic was very minimal here," James said. "Obviously, the Jacksonville Police Department expects to have zero tolerance. We hope we never have any, but obviously, on a holiday weekend people will be drinking and driving. We just hope people are mature enough to get designated drivers."

Despite having between 5,000 and 7,000 people present for the fireworks at Holly Ridge, the area was "pretty quiet," Chief John Maiorano said.

Only two driving while intoxicated arrests were made - one on July 4 and one July 5, Maiorano said.

"Everyone was well-behaved for the fireworks, that's for sure. Nothing that was out of the ordinary for us, which was a pleasant surprise," he said.

The Highway Patrol also saw 25 driving while intoxicated arrests in Carteret County from June 29 through July 4, one of which was underage, said 1st Lt. Brandon Craft.

"Usually we average about 12 drunks a week in Carteret County so we were about twice the normal rate," Craft said.

Contact Amanda Hickey at 910-219-8461 or ahickey@freedomenc.com. Read the Lejeune Deployed blog at http://lejeunedeployed.freedomblogging.com.

Area DWI charges

NC Highway Patrol (Carteret): 25 from June 29 through July 4

NC Highway Patrol (Onslow): 15 from June 29 through July 4

Holly Ridge Police Department: 2 from July 4-5

Jacksonville Police Department: 7 from July 3-5